


2x10 "Death on the Vine"

by acrazyobsession



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: Episode Analysis, Episode Review, Episode s02e10 Death on the Vine, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-19
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:54:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22681297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acrazyobsession/pseuds/acrazyobsession
Summary: My thoughts on this lovely little episode.
Relationships: Phryne Fisher/Jack Robinson
Comments: 22
Kudos: 51
Collections: My MFMM Episode Analyses





	2x10 "Death on the Vine"

**Author's Note:**

> This is a little image/gif heavy though I am sure not too many will complain.

Though this isn’t in my Top 10 list of episodes, there is something about this episode that I adore (and I am sure I am not the only one). 

It starts off as your typical “Phryne on a case” episode, but by the time she gets there, her client is dead (of course). She dives head first in anyway and starts to unravel the mystery. The snake in the drawer was a minor complication, but certainly proved that someone didn’t want them snooping around. And though Phryne doesn’t scare that easily, and she has her trusty pistol with her, she still felt like they might need reinforcements. Though hiding the gun under the bed instead of taking it with her doesn’t make senseーother than for plot purposes.

In my mind, I wanted her to call Jack to save her, but at the point in the episode where she decides to call him, I don’t think she has reached the point of being scared for her life. Instead, her phone call is very similar to others that she has made to Jackーshe needs his assistance because it is now beyond what she can handle (especially since the Sergeant seems to be in the middle of this). In “Dead Man’s Chest” she was calling him for his expertise and because he is more competent than the locals (and maybe for his company). In “Framed for Murder” she calls him because the person is already dead when Raymond called her and the police needed to be called because it looked like murder. 

The cryptic phone call is necessary due to the ears that are obviously listening in. She doesn’t want to give them the chance to hide evidence, etc. Plus, she is calling in a Detective Inspector and the Sergeant is sitting right there. I am sure his attitude towards her would not improve if he knew she was bringing in her own police office. 

**P:** _Hello, Jack? I'm afraid we're stranded. My vehicle has broken down in Maiden Creek and I find myself in desperate need of a mechanic._  
**J:** _Uh, don't they have one in the town?_  
**P:** _Normally I would attempt to repair it on my own but in this instance, I believe I could use your expert assistance. It's a very particular problem._  
**J:** _What kind of particular problem, Miss Fisher?_  
**P:** _There seem to be all sorts of anomalies but I can't quite put my finger on the real source of the problem._  
**J:** _You're losing your touch, Miss Fisher?_  
**P:** _You know what they say about many hands. As much as I'm enjoying the local hospitality of this beautiful town, I wouldn't want to outstay my welcome_  
**J:** _Uh-huh. Where did you say you were?_  
**P:** _Maiden Creek. First thing in the morning would be fine but I'm counting on you. Goodbye. I'll see you then._

In “Dead Man’s Chest” we have a similar start to their phone conversation:

 **P:** _Jack, I'm in desperate need of a numismatist._  
**J:** _And I'm the only one you know?_

How is it possible that Phrack on the phone is even more romantic than Phrack in person? I just love the scenes when she calls him! It makes me want to go find some smutty fanfiction that has to do with a phone call (leave me any suggestions if you have them). 

In “Dead Man’s Chest” she had to call him twice before he finally agreed to come help. Here, he does his own little pulling together of facts before deciding she might be onto something, but then he comes. If we look forward to “Murder under the Mistletoe” where he shows up without even being asked, it makes for an interesting progression. Whether it is his growing trust in her intuition or his growing affection for her that makes him more concerned with what she will get herself into (or both), there is obviously a mutual dependence happening here.

She has made it a point in her life to not need to rely on menーshe certainly couldn't ever rely on her father. Being her own person, capable of going and doing what she likes, is important to her. But she now finds herself (with increased occurrence) calling Jack for helpーrelying on his assistance. I can imagine that after "Blood at the Wheel", thinking she had lost him, she wondered whether it had been worth letting her guard down. So to have her now still confident that her trust was well-placed, and be so happy to see him ride in, is thrilling!

After her and Dot’s run in with the Sergeant, more clues being unraveled, a little squashing of grapes, someone breaking into their room, and a missing pistol, Phryne begins to understand that she might be in over her head and possibly in danger. At least that is what I hope is running through her head. But it sounds more like she didn’t think she had been able to convince Jack over the phone (much like in “Dead Man’s Chest”) and knew they shouldn’t stay there. 

**P:** _Pack your bags, Dot. We're leaving. We need to get Jack back here before morning, otherwise all the evidence will be cremated._

However, her little fib about the car turns against her. Though it is not expressly stated, it would seem that the Sergeant had something to do with it. If the car had been working, where was she going to drive? Was she just going to go to the next town and make a phone call? There is a real Maiden Creek in Australia, but it is a 15 hours drive from St. Kilda. They wouldn’t have gotten there and back before morning. Bendigo is mentioned a couple times, which is only 2 hours away. So, I am guessing we are not talking about the real Maiden Creek, but instead somewhere close to Bendigo. But none of that really matters since they never got a chance to leave town. If she wasn’t a little scared before, I think she is now.

[The next morning] They do a good job of setting the mood of the creepy town with the music, fog, and deserted road. Phryne really does look more than a little frustrated that the townsfolk are getting in the way of her solving the case. 

Watching “Murder Most Scandalous” the other day, I noticed Phryne's facial expressions while Jack was putting the Sergeant in his place. To use LeChatNoir1918's wording, Phryne is so turned on by Jack in charge that it's ridiculous. I think the same can be said for the scene in "Death on the Vine". 

So in drives Jack, cutting off the hearse. He is very firm and takes control of the situation, and she is just beaming. _So there Sergeant Ford!_ Not only is she delighted to see him in general (which is so freaking cute), she is happy that he deciphered her phone call and decided to come help, and relieved that he showed up just in time. 

So he asserts his authority and then walks over to her, and gives us this line:

 **J:** _You alright?_  
**P:** _All the better for seeing you, Jack._

OMG! I think I die every single time! Their faces! She isn't even attempting to hide how happy she is to see him. And his voice. He obviously got concerned when he couldn't reach her, and add to that whatever information it was that he found regarding the case.

**C:** _There's no evidence of foul play._  
**J:** _And Miss Fisher's car?_  
**C:** _Oh, that's nothing to do with me. She said she was having problems last night. She telephoned her mechanic. Mate, you're a sensible bloke. You must see, copper to copper, that what she's saying doesn't make any sense._

Oh Clem, Jack knows all about her. You can’t "copper to copper" your way out of this! I love how he just slides into the investigation. In the last episode they were able to dive right back into working together, and this episode is no different. They work so well together.

**P:** _What goes on behind closed doors is entirely your own business. But when it comes to murder, that's when it becomes our business._

Can I repeat that last phrase? _“That’s when it becomes **our** business.”_ And Jack doesn’t even flinch. They are officially a team. When did this happen?

In “Dead Man’s Chest” (about three months previous) we have this conversation where Phryne is trying to convince Jack to join her in Queenscliff and help her with her case:

 **P:** _A local fishmonger with an interesting connection to our suspected coin robbers, Mr and Mrs Johnson._  
**J:** _So it's 'our' robbers now?_

They have been through probably what would be one of the toughest trials in their partnership/relationship and have come out stronger on the other side. It seems that they have both decided to just jump in and see where this takes them. It is a great start to the build-up we see from here to the end of the season. Almost getting shot does wonders for deepening a relationship as well. Jack’s little dive onto the ground taking her with himーloved that! Too bad it was Erik that grabbed her hand and called her Phryne. Jack didn’t even take her hat!

She was quite impressed by his ability to read German. I can add this scene to my list of times Phryne falls in love with his voice. The other two: “Ruddy Gore” and “Dead Air” (I’m sure there are others). Jack doesn’t look at all uncomfortable by her compliment and the obvious daydream look in her eyes. He is getting better at this back and forth banter. And his reaction to her question here:

 **J:** _Oh, and Twelfth Night, Collins._  
**P:** _Some kind of police code?_

OMG! I bet Phryne is pining her little heart away. Which also leads up to the mistletoe scene in “Murder under the Mistletoe” where it seems that Jack has the upper hand. I just love the idea of the tables being turned on her. As I mentioned before, she isn’t used to relying on anyone, but in these last two episodes she wants him (hehe, yes, but not what I meant)ーthere is a need within her to pull him back into her life. Maybe the phone call was also a test. Had they really recovered? Were they really back to being a team? And not only does she discover that YES they are really back, she finds that Jack is stepping forward a little more (and not awkwardly like he did in “Murder in the Dark” in the Roman soldier sceneーno, he is giving almost as good as she does). The crescendo of these last couple of episodes is just absolutely beautiful! Talk about coming out of the fire stronger! 

**J:** _Phryne?_  
**P:** _It's alright, Jack._

[He calls her Phryne - be still my heart] It did surprise me at first that Jack didn’t show more of an effort to get between Phryne and the gun. Through most of the scene, Phryne actually stood between Jack and Valma or beside him. However, I do like the idea that he knows she can handle herself and from their past experiences, he knows it is pointless to try and protect herーshe doesn’t usually need it. But we have seen, like in the vineyard when Jack’s hat gets shot off, his first instinct is to protect her (but I think he would have done that with anyone standing next to him). But here, he knows she can talk down a person with a gun (she has done it before), and maybe in some way she is protecting him. Which is kinda cool. 

But DAMN! Look at Phryne stare down the barrel of that pistol!!

Something that I just can’t get over (in a good way) is how Jack lets Phryne take lead in interviews. He knows she is perceptive and asks good questions. It also gives him the opportunity to watch the suspect’s reactions. But it really shows that he trusts her. Their separation had nothing to do with their ability to work togetherーit was entirely on a personal levelーand they obviously have slid right back into how they used to do things. And it is wonderful. 

Can we talk about Jack sitting on the table? 

This just further proves my point about the tables being turned. Too bad we don’t get to see this more often or see Phryne get all awkwardly turned on by it (though I am satisfied with the number of heart eyes that are made during this episode).

There is so much about the last scene that I just love. First, the colors are just fabulous! The teal walls, dark wood, and her red shirt just give such a mood. The fact that his tie matches her shirt...love it! The looks they share in this scene are fireーmutual adoration.

 **J:** _May we never see the likes of her again._  
**P:** _And I need to thank you for coming to my rescue._  
**J:** _Is that what I did?_

The fact that she was okay with the idea that he came to her rescue is sweet, and it is even sweeter that he wasn't convinced that was what he did. So, again we see that he knows she can handle herselfーhe was there to help her rather than save her. Could we say he sees them as equals? I think so. He does get a little awkward in this scene and I absolutely love it. He just stands still while she places the hat on his head and runs her hands down his lapels. I suddenly feel the need to write a tag for this episode.

Side note: I don’t think that I noticed she was barefoot in this scene. Very casualーwould almost be intimate if Jack didn’t still have his suit jacket on. But honestly, with the way she is looking at him as she drinks her “wine” how could it be called anything other than intimate?

Are we all still breathing?

So, as if the episode itself wasn't good enough, we get this lovely behind the scene gif that I have _not_ spent many many minutes watching on a loop.

**Author's Note:**

> GIFs are mine (except the behind the scenes one - that I got from martinisandart)  
> As always, PLEASE feel free to comment with your thoughts on the episode and their relationship as this point.


End file.
